A61N1/372—Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators

A61N1/378—Electrical supply

Abstract

An opto-electric coupling device (40 of Figure 5) for photonic pacemakers and other opto-electric medical simulation equipment includes an opto-electrical transducer (22 of Figure 5) coupled to a pair of electrodes (44 and 46 of Figure 5) via a DC current discharge system (48 of Figure 5) that is adapted to counteract DC current flow caused by repeated application of electrical pulses to a body in which the electrodes are implanted. The DC current discharge system (48 of Figure 5) may include a capacitor (42 of Figure 5) connected in series with the opto-electrical transducer (22 of Figure 5) and one of the electrodes (44 of Figure 5) and a resistor (50 of Figure 5) connected in parallel to the opto-electrical transducer (22 of Figure 5) and one of the electrodes (44 of Figure 5). The DC current discharge system (68 of Figure 8) may also include a capacitor (62 of Figure 8) connected in series with the opto-electrical transducer (22 of Figure 8) and one of the electrodes (64 of Figure 8) and a resistor (70 of Figure 8) connected in parallel to the capacitor (62 of Figure 8).